Yuri Danilovich of Moscow (1281-1325)
}} Yuri Daniilovich, also known as Georgi Daniilovich (Юрий Данилович in Russian) (1281 – November 21, 1325) was Prince of Moscow (1303–1325) and Grand Prince of Vladimir (from 1318). Yuri was the oldest son of Daniil Aleksandrovich, the first prince of Moscow. His first official action was to defend Pereslavl-Zalessky against Grand Prince Andrei Aleksandrovich. Upon Andrei's death the next year, Yuri had to contend fir the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir with Mikhail of Tver. While the army of Tver besieged Pereyaslavl and Moscow itself, Mikhail went to the Golden Horde, where the Khan elevated him to the supreme position among Russian princes. In the meantime, Yuri arranged the murder of Konstantin Romanovich Prince of Ryazan. This unlucky ruler had been captured by Yuri's father back in 1302 and had been incarcerated in Moscow since then. While Ryazan was shocked by such a barbarity, Yuri annexed the key Ryazanian fortress of Kolomna to the Grand Principality of Moscow. He also captured Mozhaisk, which formerly belonged to the princes of Smolensk. By 1314, Yuri secured backing from the Metropolitan Peter and formed an alliance with Novgorod against Tver. Now, he felt strong enough to challenge Mikhail of Tver in the Horde. In 1317 Yuri married Uzbeg Khan's sister Konchaka (baptized - Agafia) and received the highest Mongolian title Gurgan, i.e in-law of the Chingizids. After Yuri's marriage Uzbeg Khan deposed Mikhail and nominated Yuri as the Grand Prince of Vladimir. Returning to Russia with a large force of Mongols, Yuri approached Tver] but on December 22, 1317, was defeated by Mikhail of Tver in the Battle of Bortenevo (1317) at 40 versts from Tver. Yuri's brother Boris and his wife were taken prisoners while Yuri fled to the Golden Horde. At that time Yuri's wife Konchaka, still held in Tver as a hostage, died unexpectedly. In Sarai, Yuri was able to convince Uzbeg Khan that she had been poisoned on Mikhail's order. The khan summoned both princes to Sarai and, after a trial, had Mikhail executed. Yuri returned to Russia in 1319, hated by other princes and populace alike. He was now entrusted with the task of gathering all-Russian tribute to the Horde. But Mikhail's son and successor, Dmitri of Tver, still opposed him. In 1322, Dmitri, seeking revenge for his father's murder, went to Sarai and persuaded the khan that Yuri had appropriated a large portion of the tribute due to the Horde. Yuri was summoned to the Horde for a trial but, before any formal investigation, was killed by Dmitri. When in 1325 Yuri Danilovich arrived in Saray-Berke and began to seek a jarlig for the grand reign, Grand Prince Dmitri Mikhailovich Grozny Ochi met him there and hacked him in a fit of anger. Dmitri was caught by the Horde and a year later, by order of the khan, was executed. A jarlig for the great reign went to Dmitri's brother, Aleksandr Mikhailovich. John Fennell, "Princely Executions in the Horde 1308-1339," Forschungen zur Osteuropaischen Geschichte 38 (1988), 9-19. Family c First wife: in 1297 NN Konstantinovna of Rostov (c1282-c1299) The daughter of this marriage, Sofya Yuryevna married to Prince Konstantin Mikhailovich of Tver; 2nd wife: in 1317 Konchaka (baptized of Agafia, mind 1318), daughter of Togru Khan, the granddaughter of Khan Mengu-Timur; niece of Tokhta Khan. Shortly before his death, Yuri led the army of Novgorod to fight the Swedes and founded a fort in the mouth of the Neva River. Upon signing the Treaty of Orekhovo in 1323, Yuri continued eastward and conquered Veliky Ustyug the same year. See also *Rulers of Russia family tree References 1317 1303 Category:Assassinated royalty Category:Assassinated Russian people Category:Married in 1317 Category:Married in 1297